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Views of spacious skies and purple mountain majesties in US national parks may soon be interrupted by industrial roads and power lines, after years of Bush policies that pushed commerce over conservation, reports the Los Angeles Times. And unlike the many decisions that President Obama can quickly reverse, the changes looming for national parks may be difficult or impossible to prevent.

Moves like greenlighting a uranium mine on the Grand Canyon's doorstep or auctioning oil leases next-door to Arches National Park were met with near-universal dismay, but a "culture of fear" and "ethical failure" within the Interior Department quashed opposition. "The agency has been demoralized; the employees of the National Park Service have been beaten down," says one retired park superintendent.

It will be a long time before that hemorrhoid of an ex-president stops irritating us.

Guest

Jan 26, 2009 8:31 PM CST

close enough so it does deep environmental damage (or at least could do it) . do we want to take that risk with our national treasures? I for one, do not. I enjoy spending time in them, I don't want them ruined.

Riffran

Jan 26, 2009 2:23 AM CST

Notice the article doesn't say how far the "doorstep" is, or what kind of facilities...just drilling and digging....All of wich can be done with care to keep enviromental impact to a minimal level..........Typical enviro-nazi rhetoric....blow the whole thing out of proportion in order to stop it......Yet the same people have the nerve to bitch and complain about the rising cost of energy, as they do everything they can to stifle any production....kinda like a chronic alcoholic, blowing up a distillery.....But before the hate flies, I do think we need to develop clean and green enrgy, the sooner the better....but I am not going back to the horse an buggy and tallow lamps to do it......How many greenies out there drive a car or fly on the airlines to go to theses protest they are fond of, and how many of them are "off the grid" at home...(i bet a few might be, but not many)